Rescuing animals every day is not for the faint of heart. It requires an abundant amount of patience, perseverance, and love for animals, among others.
For over a decade, Hope For Paws has been rescuing hundreds of animals off the streets of Los Angeles. Rescuers like Loreta and Eldad have witnessed and saved animals in varying degrees of distress, loneliness, and illness. It’s a blessing that people like these never seem to get tired or give up no matter how hard or challenging a rescue could be.
Saving dogs is almost second nature to both Loreta and Eldad, who were running after an injured dog in an industrial area. They were responding to a call from Mike Badger, who has been feeding the dog every day until he saw one of the rescue videos and decided to ask for help. Loreta chose to name the dog Masik, which means honey in Russian.
In one big sweep, Loreta was able to catch the dog with the snare. Confused and hungry, Masik fought back and was baring his teeth. Loreta tried to calm him down with cheeseburger, and as usual, the cheeseburger worked like magic. The dog realized that they wouldn’t hurt him, so he eventually gave in.
Loreta carefully carried Masik to the car, thanking Mike for introducing Masik to them. At the hospital, rescuers shaved off all of the dog’s matted fur to get rid of fleas.
The matting and fleas were so bad Masik had to be put to sleep while rescuers got to work quickly. However, an x-ray revealed that Masik’s pelvis is broken and needed immediate surgery, which was done as well. Everything is up to Masik from here on.
After two weeks, Masik has healed and recovered nicely at L.A. Animal rescue, a nonprofit group run by volunteers. Masik is still running, but this time, he’s running towards a life full of happiness, love, and care.
The small dog demonstrates a rather big appetite not only for food but also for life. He is still excitedly waiting for a family to love.
Images courtesy of Hope For Paws.
